Will Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana Coverage Increase in Union Budget 2026
Ayushman Bharat Coverage to Increase to Rs 10 Lakh in Budget 2026: As Budget 2026 approaches, expectations are rising regarding the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the healthcare sector. The government currently provides health coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family, but a proposal to double this amount due to rising medical costs is under discussion.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman may announce a significant increase in the healthcare budget in February. This move will not only provide relief to the poor but also strengthen the country's healthcare infrastructure.
Treatment for serious illnesses will be accessible to the poor
According to media reports and experts, there are plans to increase the insurance limit of Ayushman Bharat from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh per year. The main objective of this change is to make treatment for serious illnesses and expensive organ transplants accessible to poor families. If this proposal is passed in the budget, it will be the biggest reform in the country's health security system to date.
Additional top-up cover has been introduced for senior citizens
A Rs 5 lakh additional top-up cover has recently been introduced for senior citizens above 70 years of age. This means that for families with elderly members, the effective coverage has already reached ₹10 lakh. The possibility of extending this benefit to other categories or on a complete family basis is being explored in Budget 2026.
Current limit of Rs 5 lakh often proves insufficient
Due to rising inflation in the medical sector and the use of new technologies, the prices of surgeries and medicines have increased significantly. The current limit of Rs 5 lakh often proves insufficient for complex surgeries or treatments for conditions like cancer that require prolonged care. Keeping this in mind, the National Health Authority (NHA) is assessing the financial implications of increasing the coverage.
State Government Initiatives
States like Chhattisgarh and Punjab have already taken steps to increase the coverage to Rs 10 lakh at their own level. The Punjab government has announced that it will implement this enhanced coverage from January 22, 2026, providing additional relief to existing beneficiaries. Given the success of these state initiatives, the central government is considering implementing it uniformly across the entire country.